As you make your way around Fairfax, you see people at work in various jobs, some of which include significant risks to workers’ safety and health. You might hold one of the riskier jobs yourself, so you would understand the risk of injury better than most.
The workers who collect and dispose of Fairfax’s waste take care of a critical need, and they take some considerable risks of on-the-job injuries while doing so. Trash and recycling collectors are jobs near the top of any list of most dangerous occupations in the U.S., according to the federal government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In 2016, there were 31 deaths among trash and recycling collectors across the nation. Unsurprisingly, many of the tragedies involved workers falling from trucks, being hit by vehicles, or being in accidents with machinery as they did their jobs.
According to an article on risky jobs, some of the most dangerous lines of work are in the construction industry. Roofers take significant risks every time they climb on a house, office building or business to install or repair the roofs. According to the BLS, falls from roofs have been involved in a third of all fall-related construction industry fatalities for years.
Another group of men and women in construction who take risks of injury every day: Structural iron and steel workers. They’re typically at heights, working with steel beams, electric lines and heavy, swinging objects, so yes, they’re dealing with situations few of us would be willing to entertain. These workers often sustain cuts, broken bones, burns and other injuries. Plus, there is a fatality rate of 25 per 100,000 workers, according to BLS.
Our last category of risky occupations might be surprising at first glance: truck driving. But when you think about it, they face risks of being involved in motor vehicle crashes every time they climb behind the wheel. The fatality rate is a very high 24.7 per 100,000 truckers.
Fairfax workers who have suffered on-the-job injuries and been denied Virginia workers’ compensation should speak to a workers’ comp attorney experienced in successfully helping clients get the benefits they need and deserve.
